Stakeholders have called for dialogue and peaceful mechanisms among Ekiti residents to solve the farmers-herders clashes in the state.
The stakeholders made the call in Ado-Ekiti during a “Three-day training on prevention and resolution of the incidence of farmers herders conflict”, organised by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), Ekiti state.
Speaking with journalists, Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd), the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, said farmers-herders clashes have been linked to developments around climate change, population growth, ethnic and religious differences, among other factors.
Ogundana in his remarks at the event further said the state government has put every mechanism in place such as the establishment of Amotekun security outfit, enactment and implementation of anti-grazing law, establishment of mediation platforms across the 16 local government areas in the state, among others to achieve effective conflict management in the state.
On his part the L-PRES Cordinator, Ekiti State, Olayinka Adedipe said the training became necessary in order to establish peaceful coexistence among livestock farmers and core farmers.
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He noted that if there’s peace on the farmland without any attacks from assailants, businesses of livestock farmers will boom and in turn contribute to the growth and development of the state’s economy.
The team lead of the training and Executive Director of Global Peace Development, Ebruke Onajite Esike explained that resolution of farmers-herders crisis is ineffective without applying the method of dialogue and other preventive measures.
This according to him would enable the state to identify hidden issues and proffer long lasting solutions.
The stakeholders including participants from government say the training will be done on regular basis to ensure that the state remain in peace at all times.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
